8 BOLO Items at Pay By the Pound Stores: Goodwill Outlet Finds
Pay by the pound stores can be very overwhelming and you might walk in not knowing where to start.
If you’re a reseller, here are eight of my most recommending items to be on the lookout (BOLO) for when you shop Goodwill Outlet or any other pay by the pound thrift store.
If you’re a seasoned pay by the pound shopper, share your best finds in the comments so we can continue adding to this list!
These are the items that I always look for when I head to our nearest Goodwill Outlet store. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time to hit all the bins and make it through a few rotations.
We primarily sell on eBay, so these are all sourced with that marketplace in mind.
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Power Adapters
A lot of people don’t want to buy a whole new unit when they could just replace the power adapter and the unit will work like new. That’s why I always keep an eye out for power adapters. You’ll always want to research first as some are worth more than others. However, they don’t weigh much, so most of the time it’s worth just grabbing it and searching for it later. Here are a few different types of electronics that you should look for power adapters for:
laptops
gaming systems
stereo equipment
some telephone systems
For example, using Terapeak, I did a very broad search for used “sony power supply” in the TV Boards, Parts & Components category on eBay and found the average selling price to be over $45. You’d need to search the specific model number to find out if the item was really worth reselling, but this gives you an overall idea on the average selling price.
Remote Controls
Remote controls can be hit or miss, but they are a great thing to look for and I always pick up everyone I find and research it. They’re lightweight, easy to list, and people DO buy them. You should look for both vintage and newer remotes, as both are sough after. I would probably stay away from “universal” remotes as they don’t usually cost much to begin with. However, brands such as Sony, Bose, Phillips, etc are definite brands to look for.
If the remote you’re looking at is missing the battery cover, you should probably put it back. Those usually aren’t worth reselling. Make sure you look around the bottom of the bin you found the remote in before giving up for it… you might just find the battery cover in there!
Also, make sure you take out any batteries and throw them back in the bin… no reason to pay for the extra weight of the batteries. It adds up!
Furbies
Furbies can be very hit or miss, but always pick it up and research it! If they are one of the originals, they can be worth quite a bit. When you research, Furbies don’t always have very good markings so you usually have to search by what color it is or maybe what it looks like to find the one you’re looking for.
Also, the condition is going to play a big role… make sure there are no stains or flaws to the fur or functions. Some people bring a small screwdriver and batteries to be able to test items like this. Otherwise, if it looks worth buying after your research, just take a chance and test it at home.
Food Processors
This is one of my favorite Goodwill Outlet finds! One food processor could give you about $100 profit just by selling the parts. The Hamilton Beach Scovill food processor is one of the best to find, but almost any food processor can be sold for parts. People don’t want to buy a whole new food processor when they just need one part.
As you can see in the picture below, the average selling price for Hamilton Beach Scovill food processor parts is $13. That’s $13 per part and you’ll have 5 or 6 parts off one food processor!
Keep in mind that the motor/base usually isn’t worth anything and they’re really heavy. So just take a picture of the model number off the unit, leave it in the bins, and take all the parts. This will save you a lot more money.
Vintage Electronics
This could be anything from small radios, alarm clocks, calculators, etc. Anything that is electronic and vintage is worth picking up and research. We’ve sold a lot of small vintage AM/FM radios that really did well. Look for brands such as GE, Phillips, RCA, etc.
If it has a power cord, just make sure to find a power outlet and plug it in to test it. We’ve come across a lot of radios that didn’t work at all when we tested it.
Vintage Yarn and Craft Supplies
The first time we went to the Goodwill Outlet, I found a bag filled with about a dozen vintage skeins of yarn. I’m sure some people thought I was crazy, but I knew we could sell them!
For the weight, they were going to be super cheap to buy which made it a great deal. if I had to pay more than a couple dollars for them, I probably wouldn’t have picked them up anywhere else.
They are super easy to list, just tell exactly what the label says and put them out there. Shipping is super simple too. This is an item you should definitely pick up!
Brand New Items
If you find anything that is brand new, either with tags, a sealed package, etc., you should definitely pick up and put it in your cart. This is especially true if you ever find something that is new and vintage. A lot of “new old stock” items sell really well online.
Name Brand Clothing
Normally, regular thrift stores mark up new with tag clothing items and they’re too high priced to resell. Therefore, always pick them up at pay by the pound stores. Most clothing is very lightweight so you’ll be spending very little per item.
Also, our rule of thumb is you can get about 50% of the MSRP on the tag when you resell. So you can determine really quick when you pick up a new with tag item whether or not it’s worth reselling.
Those are my best BOLO items that you should look for at pay by the pound stores. Share you best Goodwill Outlet finds in the comments!